NOAA celebrates new Arctic observatory near Utqiaġvik

The research station at Utqiaġvik (Barrow) has been expanded. Credit: NOAA

For almost half a century, some of the most important observations of the changing Arctic climate were captured and analyzed in a cramped 960 square-foot temporary structure at the northernmost tip of the United States.

NOAA's Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory is one of four monitoring stations maintained by the Global Monitoring Laboratory, which produce long-term, highly accurate data sets of changing atmospheric composition and form one of the foundations of international climate research. 

Established in 1973, Barrow was the first research observatory in the Arctic. Built for NOAA by the Navy, it was meant to be temporary, but far outlasted expectations.

Finally in 2020, after many years of planning, observatory staff moved into a new, expanded observatory and research facility worthy of the significance of its work.

Read more at the link below.